Kim Gets Three Years Probation for Marriage Fraud

Centreville  Centreville resident Yong Hyon Kim, 50, was sentenced in federal court to probation following his conviction for conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and making false statements to federal agents.

Kim — both a Korean national and a lawful, permanent U.S. resident — was indicted Nov. 17, 2011 by a federal grand jury on those two charges, as well as alien harboring, inducing an alien to come to the

United States and immigration document fraud.

Kim owns the 395 Collision Center in Springfield and, in a statement of facts filed Jan. 19 with his plea agreement, he admitted recruiting his general manager to enter into a fraudulent marriage with his (Kim’s) girlfriend so she could remain in the U.S. She was actually an illegal alien from South Korea.

After the marriage, Kim then helped his girlfriend obtain immigration benefits and purposely misled U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services into believing that the marriage was legitimate.

In addition, Kim lied to federal agents who were investigating the fraudulent marriage when he claimed that he was not dating his girlfriend. Authorities said he agreed to forfeit more than $29,000, as well as the Mercedes that he used for transporting his girlfriend.

Kim pleaded guilty, Jan. 19, in U.S. District Court in Alexandria before Judge Anthony J. Trenga. He returned for sentencing on April 13 and, at that time, he was placed on three years probation.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Frank and James S. Yoon prosecuted it on behalf of the United States.